Twelve students and two staff from the Computer Science and Computer Engineering Department furthered their careers in Harbor, Maryland, in early January. Only about 10 minutes away from Washington D.C., the annual Cybercorps: Scholarship for Service (SFS) Job Fair is open to only SFS students to give them the opportunity to engage with industry leaders and gain valuable career insights. The Cybercorps: SFS program is managed by the National Science Foundation and bolsters the need for technology professionals in federal, state, local and tribal governments. Students selected for the program are offered full scholarships in exchange for their expertise in government agencies post-graduation as cybersecurity professionals.

Computer science and computer engineering students attending included: Zachary Chapman, Calvin Franz, Katie Kettler, Gunner Lawless, Brady McBride, Robert McLendon, Henry Schmidt, Jacob Smith, Joshua Thornburgh, Dylan Vaughn, Grant Wilkins and Thomas Winkle. Dale Thompson, CSCE professor and department head for the undergraduate program, and Jenna Stacey, ASCENT program manager, attended the conference alongside the students.

"I look forward to this event every year," Stacey remarked. "As the program manager for SFS, I get to attend these required job fairs. They are an awesome opportunity for students to network, make contacts with federal agencies and inquire about jobs and internships in the federal government. The students also get to meet with other SFS students from different universities and connect with one another. It is a wonderful opportunity for both the program administrators and students alike."

Before attending the job fair, many students did research on the companies that would be in attendance and submitted applications to those that seemed interesting. Chapman, a graduate student in the department, suggests that students seeking jobs and internships should "just apply."

"You should always apply, even if you feel you might not be qualified for the job. Your job is to apply for the position. It's somebody else's job to determine if you are qualified or not. Don't worry about that aspect; just get the application in," Chapman advised.

Students were able to explore the area and visit national monuments, museums and restaurants before buckling down for the three-day career event.

"My favorite part of the trip was getting to learn more about my classmates that are in the SFS program with me. The trip definitely brought us all closer together," Chapman said.

For more information about the Cybercorps: SFS program visit https://ascent.uark.edu.